Jesus shares the very "glory" the Father gave Him with His followers, not just as a future reward, but as the present divine life and power that makes their unity possible. This shared glory is the foundation for their oneness, mirroring the intimate unity between the Father and the Son.
The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus, having just prayed for the unity of all believers throughout history, now describes what He Himself has already done to secure this unity. He explains that the divine glory the Father gave Him has been shared with His followers, not for their individual exaltation, but so they might experience a profound oneness, mirroring the perfect unity between the Father and the Son. This shared glory is the foundation for their future unity, even as they await its full realization.
Jesus speaks of a 'glory' He received from the Father and then gave to believers. What is this incredible gift that binds us together?
In John 17:22, Jesus uses the word 'glory' to describe a profound sharing of divine reality. This isn't just about a future heavenly reward, though that's part of it. It's about the very life and essence of God, experienced through Christ.
Jesus prays for believers to be 'one, even as we are one.' What does this incredible model of unity mean for us?
The ultimate goal Jesus prays for in John 17:22 is unity among believers, and He uses the relationship between Himself and the Father as the perfect pattern.
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Understand the original words
doxa · Greek Noun
The reputation, honor, majesty, or manifest presence of God. It is the visible expression of God's character and worth, fully revealed in Jesus Christ.
agapaō · Greek Verb
The divine attribute of deep, self-sacrificial, and unconditional commitment. It is the core of God's nature and the primary motivation for His redemptive work.
This passage directly echoes Jesus' prayer for unity in John 17, calling believers to be united in the same way, without divisions.
Galatians 3:28This verse speaks to a profound unity in Christ that transcends all earthly distinctions, aligning with Jesus' desire for believers to be 'one' as He and the Father are one.
Ephesians 4:3-6This passage describes the 'unity of the Spirit' that believers are called to maintain, highlighting foundational elements like one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, mirroring the unity prayed for in John 17.
1 John 1:3This verse speaks of fellowship with God and with one another through Christ, which is a key component of the unity Jesus desires for His followers, that they might share in the 'glory' He has given them.
cambridgeJohn 17:22: "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:"
22 . Having prayed for them with a view to their unity, He states what He Himself has done for them with the same end in view. gavest ] Better, hast given (see on John 17:4 ). The meaning of this gift of ‘glory’ seems evident from John 17:24 ; the glory of the ascended and glorified Christ in which believers are ‘joint-heirs’ with Him (see on Romans 8:17 ). Looking forward with confiden…
jfbJohn 17:22: "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:"
- And the glory which thou gavest—hast given.me I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one—The last clause shows the meaning of the first. It is not the future glory of the heavenly state, but the secret of that present unity just before spoken of; the glory, therefore, of the indwelling Spirit of Christ; the glory of an accepted state, of a holy character, of every g…
Jesus shares the very "glory" the Father gave Him with His followers, not just as a future reward, but as the present divine life and power that makes their unity possible. This shared glory is the foundation for their oneness, mirroring the intimate unity between the Father and the Son.
Jesus, having just prayed for the unity of all believers throughout history, now describes what He Himself has already done to secure this unity. He explains that the divine glory the Father gave Him has been shared with His followers, not for their individual exaltation, but so they might experience a profound oneness, mirroring the perfect unity between the Father and the Son. This shared glory is the foundation for their future unity, even as they await its full realization.
Jesus, having just prayed for the unity of all believers throughout history, now describes what He Himself has already done to secure this unity. He explains that the divine glory the Father gave Him has been shared with His followers, not for their individual exaltation, but so they might experience a profound oneness, mirroring the perfect unity between the Father and the Son. This shared glory is the foundation for their future unity, even as they await its full realization.
"The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me." — Jesus shares the very "glory" the Father gave Him with His followers, not just as a future reward, but as the present divine life and power that makes their unity possible. This shared glory is the f…
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Last reviewed October 2026
